 The
Bluetooth specification, which describes a way for electronic
devices to communicate with one another at close range by way of
radio signals, has great potential. The open standard promises
to make mobile telephones, personal organizers, and digital
cameras wireless and far easier to use.
In Bluetooth Revealed,
a couple of experts who helped hammer out the Bluetooth
specification (version 1.0B, specifically) take a shot at
elaborating upon the contents of the standards documents. They
also share some of their imaginings about how Bluetooth
connectivity might be put to use. The result of their efforts is
a surprisingly readable book that should fit the needs of
hardware and software developers who plan to support the
Bluetooth platform.
After some discussion of wireless devices and the generalities
of the Bluetooth specification, the authors approach their
subject in progressively greater detail, defining terms and
referring to conceptual diagrams as they go. Emphasizing
protocols that are unique to Bluetooth communication (such as
RFCOMM, which allows applications to treat a radio link just
like a hard-wired serial port), the authors show exactly how
Bluetooth devices arrange themselves into wireless networks.
Then, they explain how these networked devices exchange
commands, files, and multimedia streams. They give fair hearing
to the specification's shortcomings, too; noting, for example,
that it's good for sharing voice signals among devices, but not
so good for sharing high-quality music signals.
The authors of Bluetooth Revealed would be the first to
concede that the Bluetooth standard is evolving, and certainly
will change as more manufacturers adopt and supplement it.
Regardless, this book is a valuable statement of the Bluetooth
vision, straight from a couple of its creators. --David Wall
Topics
covered:
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The Bluetooth wireless networking specification (version 1.0B)
and its component parts, including the radio, baseband,
link-controller, and link-manager layers
-
Special coverage goes
to the Logical Link Control and Adaptation Protocol (L2CAP), the
Host Controller Interface (HCI), RFCOMM serial ports, and the
Service Discovery Protocol
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Bluetooth futures appear here, too.
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Paperback:
350 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.03 x 9.23 x 7.02
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Publisher:
Prentice Hall; 2nd edition (December 15, 2001)
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ISBN:
0130672378
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